Unsettling Reunions
by TVNerd
Summary: Sequel to Acadmy Mother! Jamie Kirk and Mr. Spock are now at odds. Between being estranged spouses, dealing with psychotic romulans, and jealousy can this pair make their way back to each other and save the Enterprise.  Disclaimer: Don't own.
1. 1

Unsettling Reunions  
>Chapter 1<p>

"This session has been called to resolve a troubling matter," Admiral Richard Barnett called throughout the hearing room. Jim was waiting to hear what this one was about when she stopped. "Jamie T. Kirk, step forward."

Jamie looked at them wondering 'what the hell'. She stood up and moved forward as the admiral continued. "Cadet Kirk, Evidence has been submitted to this council suggesting that you violated the ethical code of conduct pursuant to regulation 17.43 of the Starfleet code." She walked to her position at the front of that auditorium. "Is there anything you care to say, before we begin, sir?"

"Yes, I believe I have the right to face my accuser directly," she told the admiral. Inside she was praying that who she thought was about to stand up didn't.

_Please don't let it be Spock. Please don't let it be Spock._ It was her repeated mantra as she stood there in front of them. Now that they were near, and she knew he was, she could sense him though it was so faint a pull she had to focus to even realize it was there.

The admiral looked up and she turned to see Spock standing in a black teachers uniform. She must have walked right past him and not even realized he was there. After standing she watched him straighten out his shirt. It was so very… Spock.

But his eyes, the ones that used to show every emotion despite his mask, were blank. They held none of his old warmth.

"Step forward please," the admiral began.

"By Code 833.41 Commander Spock cannot accuse me of cheating without at least one other person confirming this. As I'm sure he has no co-accuser at this time I wish to have this meeting adjourned," she called. There was a hushed whisper.

"You do realize that code says that a spouse cannot accuse their partner of cheating unless it can be confirmed by another as it could be construed as trying to settle a marital grudge," another Admiral stated.

"That is what I am saying," she informed them. Kirk looked at Spock who moved to the other Podium.

"If I may ob…" he began but she cut him off.

"The summer of your eighteenth year a group of students from earth with heightened IQ's beyond the average for humans were taken to Vulcan for a summer study group at the Vulcan Academy, were they not," Jim asked.

"I do not see the rel…" he began but she cut him off.

"Just answer yes or no… Commander," she said, trying not to show disrespect though her impatience was showing.

"It is," he told her.

"And is it true that amongst those on Vulcan was a female who would not follow rules, was as smart as any Vulcan, and was reckless. And it was it not she who told you that in battle sometimes thinking outside the lines, outside the parameters that are given, is sometimes necessary?" she asked. He hesitated.

"It is," he said as he looked at her.

"Did you not marry said woman just days before she was to leave for earth again… and did she not go by Tibby because her middle name was Tabitha… Tabitha Kirk as she was referred to back then?" she asked.

"How do you know that information?" he asked. "That is not in any file as only I and the Vulcan council know that I am married and know that my wife is human?"

"Your wife knows. My full name is Jamie _Tabitha_ Kirk and I used to go by Tibby," she informed them. There was a yell from Uhura while the crowd burst out in talking. She was known as the whore after all. They thought she slept with anyone and everyone. Here she was saying she was married to a Vulcan no less.

"Settle down, settle down," Admiral Barnett called. "Is she correct Commander? Could this be your estranged wife?"

"It is possible, and probable. I have been searching for my wife since our separation but the information was blocked and difficult to get to," he told them. "If so then it would be valid as she was saying that marital bonds supersede…" he continued when a man came forward.

"Excuse me sir," the man said as he walked to the Admiral and handed him a Padd. He read it quickly and she saw concern on his face.

"We've received a distress call from Vulcan," Admiral Barnett announced and without meaning to Jim glanced at Spock whose face had become one of shock and concern. She knew he'd just thought of his mother. "With our primary fleet engaged in the Laurentian system, I hereby order all cadets to report to Hangar One immediately. Dismissed."

Everyone stood up and walked out of the Auditorium. Spock walked off and she had to keep herself from running after him. She looked at Bones who was at her side. Spock had stopped and glanced at her, then at Gaila, Pavel, Bones, and Danni. Bones was at her side and she saw Spock's left hand clench at his pants.

At least something was the same.

"What kind of husband doesn't recognize their own wife?" Gaila asked in shock.

"Green-blooded hobgoblins," Bones said with a snort before the group took off.


	2. 2

Unsettling Reunions  
>Chapter 2<p>

Spock made his way to Hangar One, wondering why he had never sensed Tibby… no, Cadet Kirk. She was Cadet Kirk now. He went through wondering if he could concentrate. He had to concentrate on getting to Vulcan for the rescue mission.

His parents were there.

Besides, if something happened in space he knew his wife was on earth, safe and sound. He wouldn't have to worry about her and could focus on his mother and father.

~Unsettling Reunions~

They hadn't called her name. She was frustrated. Without saying a word she followed the man. She'd just been accused of cheating, had managed to be pissed off by her husband, and now they hadn't called her name.

"Commander? Sir, you didn't call my name. Kirk, Jamie T." she told the man following him.

"Kirk, you're on academic suspension. That means you're grounded until the Academy Board rules," the Commander told her and she couldn't believe it. She really couldn't believe it. She saw Gaila come up as had Danni. Both looked furious.

"Jim. The board will rule in your favor. Most likely," Bones said and she nodded.

"We need you to hack the system," Gaila said and Jim looked at her friend. "We're both on the Farragut with Uhura. If we have to be on the same ship as her we'll kick her ass." Jim looked at Danni and Gaila and nodded.

"I'll put you on the Enterprise with Bones. You'll be safe there," Jamie told them while grabbing an abandoned Padd. It took less than five minutes to get into the lists and changed them. "You're on all the lists for the Enterprise. Go, be safe," Jim told them. They began to leave and she sighed, not sure what to do now.

"Excuse me," a Commander told her as he passed her by.

"Yeah. Yeah, sure," she said half-heartedly. She didn't see Bones until he grabbed her arm and started her toward away from there.

"Come with me," the man muttered to her and she followed.

"Bones, where are we going?" she asked as they walked off toward parts unknown.

"You'll see," Bones responded. Jim couldn't help but notice Spock as they passed him and Uhura walking up to him. Her heart clenched, remembering what Gaila said about them. She was probably about to confront him about it. Jim couldn't see that, it would break her heart if she did.

~Unsettling Reunions~

"Commander, a word?" Uhura asked as he tried not to notice his wife being led away by another cadet, a male cadet. He was very… jealous.

"Yes, Lieutenant?" he asked, trying to focus on the task at hand without distraction.

"Was I not one of your top students?" Uhura asked.

"Indeed you were," Spock told the woman. Then he began to walk and she followed right behind him.

"And did I not, on multiple occasions, demonstrate an exceptional aural sensitivity and, I quote, 'an unparalleled ability to identify sonic anomalies in subspace transmissions tests'?" the woman asked.

"Consistently, yes," he told her as he walked toward the Enterprise loading area.

"And while you were well aware that my unqualified desire is to serve on the U.S.S. Enterprise I'm assigned to the Farragut?" she asked and now he saw what she was upset about.

"It was an attempt to avoid the appearance of favoritism," he told her as he had considered her a friend of sorts. But the anger he felt from her had him wondering if he'd been wrong in that assumption.

"No. I'm assigned to the Enterprise," she told him. He got onto his Padd and made the correct notes.

"Yes, I believe you are," he told her.

"Thank you," she told him before hesitating. "You never mentioned you were married. I was hoping after I graduated we would be able to date. If you would have said… I wouldn't have thought of that."

"The matters surrounding my marriage are private and I would like to try and keep it that way," he told her. She hesitated again.

"There are rumors… some that I've spread, and some that I've heard. They say she sleeps around a lot but… don't listen to them. I have it on good faith that she hasn't been unfaithful," she told him and his fist clenched. The idea of Cadet Kirk breaking her vow was horrendous. He didn't want to believe it.

"Thank you for informing me," he told her and she nodded. He walked away, not wanting to think about that.

_~Unsettling Reunions~_

"What are you doing?" Jim asked as she was led into a room full of medical supplies.

"I'm doing you a favor," Bones told her as he began looking through some of the tubes. "I couldn't just leave you there, looking all pathetic. Take a seat. I'm gonna give you a vaccine against viral infection from Melvaran Mud Fleas."

She leaned back eyeing the hypo warily.

"What if I'm allergic," she asked.

"Then I'll handle it," he told her before giving her the hypo on the point he knew caused pain. She grumbled at the pain.

"What for," she asked.

"To give you the symptoms," he informed her as if it were an everyday conversation. Despite her faster than average brain she couldn't keep up with this cockamamie plan he'd built up. To what endgame she wasn't sure.

"What are you talking about," she asked, rubbing the spot. Then she realized it was getting harder to see.

"You're gonna start to lose vision in your left eye," he told her. She wanted to glare at him but things weren't right.

"Yeah, I already have," she said wondering why her head felt like a migraine was coming on.

"Oh, and you're gonna get a really bad headache and a flop sweat," he told her. She wanted to tell him to give her the symptoms _before_ they arrived but her mind wasn't working through the pain.

"You call this a favor?" she grumbled as he moved her to stand. She felt like she was going to be sick.

"Yeah, you owe me one," he told her before leading her out to the shuttle. They walked up and the man stopped them.

Jim couldn't really tell what was going on around her by that time. The pain was too intense, and she felt like she was going to be sick. It took everything she had not to throw up all over Bones. He'd be royally pissed and probably kick her ass. In this condition he definitely could.

He got her into her seat and she wasn't sure if they were flying, falling, or parked at that point. She just wanted the room to stop spinning.


	3. 3

Unsettling Reunions  
>Chapter 3<p>

"You knew," Spock told Captain Pike, remembering the recent conversation. In retrospect it made sense.

"I figured it out. I knew she was married and lonely because he was gone. And before you even think of what those rumors say she has never cheated on you. It was spread by people who she wouldn't sleep with. Plus, her roommate is always having people over and everyone assumed it was her that was having sex with them," Captain Pike said as they flew into space.

Spock felt relief that what Uhura had told him about her having been faithful was true and that the rumors were false. It was easier to think without jealousy at that information in the way.

"Lieutenant Uhura had said there were rumors of such things," Spock told the Captain who frowned.

"Actually, she began the rumors. She despises Kirk for some unknown reason," The Captain informed him and Spock didn't like the sound of that. "In fact, she doesn't like anyone who associates with her. She alienated her own roommate because she was Kirk's best friend. I'm your wife's Student Advisor."

Spock looked at the man. That was very disturbing. He would meditate over that information at a later time.

That's when they landed and they began to exit the shuttle.

_~Unsettling Reunions~_

Kirk felt herself being led through the ship. She wanted to be horizontal, right then.

"We need to get you changed," Bones said but she knew something was wrong. She knew an allergic reaction when she felt one… and this was an allergic reaction. Not her typical reaction but a reaction all the same. She just couldn't explain it. Then they stopped. "Hell it's that pointy-eared bastard." Jim had to agree right then. Not that she'd ever verbalize that.

She did love him and he was the father of her children. But he was a bastard.

Bones pulled her to the side and got her a black outfit for her to change into. Vera was on the ship and she seen them as she was heading to the hospital area. She helped her change so she'd have a little dignity. Then the pair got her to medical bay.

"Where are we?" she asked again, her mind playing tricks on her.

"Medical Bay," he told her.

"This isn't worth it," she told him.

"A little suffering's good for the soul," Bones told her though a hand went to her forehead.

"Doctor McCoy… should she be running a fever?" Vera asked and he swore while getting her to a bed.

"My mouth is itchy. Is that normal?" she asked, not sure anymore.

"Well, those symptoms won't last long. Fever shouldn't either," he said but she got the feeling he was worried. "I'm going to give you a mild sedative."

"I wish I didn't know you," Jim told him.

"Don't be such an infant," he told her before injecting her with the hypo which hurt like hell. She didn't know if she said anything else because everything went black.

~_Unsettling Reunions~_

"Engines at Maximum Warp, Captain," the Pilot said as he turned to look at them.

"Russian Whiz kid, what's your name? Chanko? Cherpov?" the Captain asked. Spock looked at the boy he'd seen standing with Cadet Kirk who glared at him for a moment as he spun before looking at the Captain.

"Ensign Chekov, Pavel Andreievich, Sir," the Ensign said in response.

"Fine, Chekov, Pavel Andreivich. Begin ship-wide mission broadcast," the captain ordered.

"Yes sir, Happy to," the boy said with a Russian accent. Spock turned back to his work though listened to the broadcast. As the boy spoke there was something familiar about what he was hearing but his mind had no frame to put it into.

Spock ignored anything else until somebody came running onto the Bridge. Three some bodies actually.

"Captain Pike, Sir," Jamie Tabitha Kirk called as she ran in wearing all black which made her stand out. He also noticed, for the first time since truly looking at her, that she had chopped short hair that didn't even cover her ears. Her long golden hair was gone and it was darker. "We have to stop the ship."

"Kirk, how the hell did you get onboard the Enterprise," the Captain asked and Spock stood up, turning to face his wife as well as face the Captain.

"Captain, this woman's under the influence of an allergic reaction to…" the doctor began but she stopped him.

"Bones Please," she said stopping the man.

"I take full responsibility," the Doctor said.

"The Kelvin faced a lightning storm in space before it was destroyed," she said and everything went dead. "It was an elite ship and it didn't stand a chance. The only way to damage the ship that was attacking was a Kamikaze move made by my father. It took place on the edge of Klingon space and earlier there was an escape from a Klingon Prison. The planet is being attacked, not facing a natural disaster."

"Cadet Kirk is not cleared to be aboard this ship," Spock began, deciding to cite regulations. "By regulations that makes her a stowaway. I can remove the cadet."

"Try it, Spock," she told him, angrily. "This cadet is trying to save the bridge, and maybe my in-laws since I actually like them right now. You, not so much." That emotionally stung if that was the way to describe it.

"There was an escape from a Klingon prison," Uhura stated. "She is right. I intercepted the transmission that she is talking about. If she's right then the Romulan ship that attacked the Kelvin may be attacking the planet."

"The cadet's logic is sound… and Lieutenant Uhura is unmatched in Xenolinguistics," Spock told the Captain. He watched his wife frown and look down. He saw a look he could not identify flash through her features before she looked up again.

"Scan Vulcan space. Check for any transmissions in Romulan," the captain told them.

"Sir, I'm not sure I can distinguish the Romulan language from Vulcan," the Communications officer admitted.

"What about you? Do you speak Romulan, Cadet…" Captain Pike asked.

"Uhura, all three dialects sir," Uhura admitted.

"Uhura, relieve the lieutenant," Captain Pike informed them.

"Yes sir," she said before moving to the Lieutenant. Spock noticed Jim put a hand on the young Navigator's shoulder and he seemed to relax.

"Hannity, hail the U.S.S. Truman," the Captain said and Spock heard the young Russian boy whisper.

"Jenna's on the Truman."

"She'll be fine," Spock heard his wife mutter to the boy.

"All the other ships are out of warp, sir, and have arrived at Vulcan, but we seem to have lost all contact," Hannity told them. The boy tensed and Jim seemed to squeeze a little more.

"Sir, I pick up no Romulan transmissions. Or any transmissions of any kind in the area," Uhura stated.

"It's because they're being attacked." Spock went to his post as the Captain ordered a red alert. Spock glanced at Jamie but she just stepped back, not holding on to anything. They counted down their arrival at the planet.

5… 4… 3… 2… 1…

_[I know I'm evil for ending it like this… and I'm sorry for that. I would like to answer a question that was sent to me. The question is 'where are the twins right now'. The twins were at their own classes when this happened. They will be taken care of until they come back – contingency for the occasion that occurred. Otherwise they'd risk parents having to go out for emergencies and being distracted by what would happen for their children. _

_I hope that clears it up. I would also like to thank everyone who has read, reviewed, favorited, and/or alerted so far. I would like to send a special thanks to _NewSlove, Theta Grace Smith, CrazyFoxyCookie, LoveSpock, sm1982, denique, blueoctober, feliciannaaa, Fire Dolphin, Anime Princess (_2x's)_, Sofia Ann, CHANCEGAMBIT, NaomiBlue, SwiftShadow, Pixie Star Fire, Yana5, Fernsfairie (_2x's)_, _and_ LittleMissDreamer7 _for reviewing. _

_Well until next time…]_


	4. 4

Unsettling Reunions  
>Chapter 4<p>

One minute they were in warp and the next they were in a war zone. Parts of ships, dead bodies, and everything else floated around where they had come out of Warp. It was a graveyard. Jim was tossed sideways, losing her footing and had to grab a barrier to keep from falling completely.

Something hit them from the side and she slipped, falling to the ground and swore before managing to right herself.

"Damage report," Pike called, glancing at her. She saw his nervousness for a brief second and she remembered the evenings they spent together – him with her and the twins acting like an almost father figure to her and a grandfatherly figure to the twins. According to what she'd heard he was like that when he took an Advisee which he did very rarely – only those with whom he saw true potential.

He'd admitted one of those dinners when he'd been earth side – every Friday he was Earth side actually though time varied depending on what he had to do during the day – that he'd known her father. He'd been a second year when her father graduated but they'd been friends. That's why he knew she could do well. During those days he let her talk about anything and everything and she'd wondered if that was what it would be like to have a father figure.

"Deflector shields are holding," somebody called.

"All stations! Engineer Olson, report," the Captain ordered. After getting his response the Captain saw the ship, just floating in space. "Full Reverse. Come about starboard, 90 degrees." Kirk needed to get herself straight so she stumbled up the few steps and almost fell. Cooler hands caught her and she looked up to see brown eyes looking at her worried.

Spock.

He got her to the railing and she stationed herself there, just outside his view so she could see but he could too.

"Drop us down underneath them, Sulu," the Captain ordered. Kirk almost chuckled. Sulu… she knew she recognized him from somewhere. The name had been one she'd never heard before. She remembered he'd hit on her at the club. She'd told him she was married. He'd accepted her refusal with grace when he realized she wasn't playing coy. Normally men and women got bitchy – or catty.

The Pilot did as ordered and they got jarred some. Then they saw the ship. She held back a gasp as she saw it. It was that ship that had killed her father. She clutched the bar harder in her hands.

Then there was beeping.

"Captain they're locking onto us," Spock informed the Captain as he looked over his readings. She swore as she looked at them over her shoulder, not able to see everything without her glasses. What she did see was not good.

"Divert auxiliary power from Port Nacelles to forward shields," the Captain ordered. She knew they would do as ordered. She slid as they were slammed sideways. "Sulu, status report."

"Shields at 32%," Sulu informed them. "Their weapons are powerful, sir. We can't take another hit like that."

"Get me Starfleet command," Pike ordered.

"Captain, the Romulan ship has lowered some kind of high-energy pulse device into the Vulcan atmosphere. Its signal appears to be blocking our communications," Spock informed them. Jim hated to think it but figured if they'd built that ship then they probably had a way around the block and could contact anyone they wanted – even backup which they wouldn't need… or be able to bring more people into the trap. "and Transporter abilities." Jump for joy…

"All power to forward shields," the Captain ordered. "Prepare to fire all weapons."

They fired but it barely did any damage. Then Spock announced they were locking on again only for them to stop.

"Captain, we're being hailed," Uhura stated and right then Jim wished she wasn't right. With that the screen came on of its own volition.

"Hello," The Romulan said into their end. She knew they were the cousins of the Vulcans but the resemblance was unsettling. She kept her eyes from glancing back at Spock because they had the same high peaked brows and pointed ears. And there was a light green tint to the Romulan like with Vulcans.

"I'm Captain Christopher Pike. To whom am I speaking?" Pike asked.

"Hi Christopher. I'm Nero," the Romulan said and she tightened her grip on the bar. That was the man responsible for her father's death. He was the reason her father didn't exist.

"You've declared war against the Federation. Withdraw, I'll agree to arrange a conference with Romulan leadership at a neutral location," Pike told them.

"I do not speak for the Empire," the Romulan said and something didn't feel right about this. "We stand apart. As does your Vulcan crew member. Isn't that right, Spock?" She turned to look at Spock wondering what the hell was going on. Spock stood up and moved to stand beside her.

"Pardon me. I do not believe that you and I are acquainted," Spock told the man as he walked past her.

"No, we're not. Not yet," the Romulan said and Jim straightened up, suddenly putting pieces together… but it couldn't be possible, could it? "Ah, the future Captain Kirk with her husband and first officer, Spock. How quaint." They all looked at them and she frowned. Who the hell was this man? "Spock, there's something I would like you to see. Captain Pike, your transporter has been disabled. As you can see by the rest of your armada, you have no choice. You will man a shuttle and come aboard the Narada for Negotiations. That is all…" the screen then went black.

Pike stood up and she couldn't believe he was actually considering it. This was a trap if she knew one.

"He'll kill you. You know that," she told Captain Christopher Pike.

"Your survival is unlikely," Spock said agreeing with her.

"Captain, we gain nothing by diplomacy. Going over to that ship is a mistake," Jim told the Captain, unable to stand the idea of a stupid senseless sacrifice. Of course, she'd probably do the same thing but she wasn't willing to go there. Of course, she'd have an explosive on the shuttle to blow the ship up from the inside. She wouldn't suggest that to Pike though. She liked the man after all.

"I, too, agree. You should rethink your strategy," Spock said.

"I understand that," Pike told them. "I need officers who've been trained in advanced hand-to-hand combat."

"I have training sir," Sulu told them.

"Come with me," Pike told him. Then he turned to look at her. "Kirk, you too. You're not supposed to be here anyway. Chekov, you have the conn." With that he led them from the bridge. She nodded at Pavel who smiled at her nervously. She nodded at him, assuring him they'd be fine.

_~Unsettling Reunions~_

Spock followed the captain through the halls. He was walking at his wife's side and the more he glanced at her the more he recognized. It really was her though her skin was paler from less hours in the sun… and less red from the heat. They walked gathering an engineer.

"Without transporters, we can't beam off the ship. We can't assist Vulcan. We can't do our job," Captain Pike informed them. Spock looked at the Captain. "Mrs. Kirk, Mr. Sulu, Engineer Olson will space-jump from the shuttle. You will land on that machine they've lowered into the atmosphere that's scrambling our gear. You'll get inside, you'll disable it, then you'll beam back to the ship." Spock did not like this plan. His wife should not be doing something as dangerous as the Captain was suggesting. He glanced at his wife who refused to look at him. "Mr. Spock, I'm leaving you in command of the _Enterprise._ Once we have transport capability and communications back up, you'll contact Starfleet and report what the hell's going on here. And if all else fails, fall back and rendezvous with the fleet in the Laurentian system." By then they'd stopped at the lift. Then the captain turned to Kirk. "Kirk, I'm promoting you to first officer."

"What?" Kirk asked in shock. He heard it in her voice.

"Captain?" Spock began but the Captain cut him off.

"You two are a perfect balance… logic and instinct. Deal with your relationship crap on your own time. And I'm not the Captain, you are," Pike told Spock who didn't know what to say. "Come on."

Spock looked at his wife as she stared at him. Her blue eyes were conflicting. They looked angry, scared, and slightly hurt. But the brief contact with his wife was over in an instant and she walked onto the lift and her emotions were closed off.

"Sir, after we knock out that drill what happens to you?" His wife asked the captain.

"Well… I guess you'll have to come and get me," Pike told Jamie Tabitha Kirk before turning to him. "Careful with the ship, Spock, she's brand new." That's when the door closed, cutting Spock off from his wife.

Thinking over his orders he went back to the Bridge and made his way to the Captain's seat.

"Doctor Puri, report," Spock ordered the Doctor.

"It's McCoy. Dr. Puri was on Deck 6. He's dead," a familiar voice said over the Com. Spock thought for a moment.

"Then you have just inherited his responsibility as chief medical officer," Spock informed the man. He believed his wife had called him 'Bones' but that could not have been his true name.

"Yeah, tell me something I don't know," the man told him before the line went dead. Spock then focused forward on the reports that said that his wife and the two others had just reached the shuttle meaning they'd soon jump.

"Captain," the young Russian said and he looked at the boy. He motioned him over and Spock did as beckoned. "Jim is my friend. I trust Kirk. She's like my big sister. Don't hurt her. And I'm not talking to my captain now," the boy said quietly and Spock frowned at the boys threat. But he didn't say a word. Instead he just nodded then returned to his seat.

'Big sister'. That meant that boy was important to her. He knew he'd better make sure the boy didn't get hurt. His wife would likely kick his ass if he let something happen to the boy.

Then he got information that they were at the Jump zone and were in the air. They monitored them.

"Away team is entering the atmosphere, sir. Twenty-thousand meters," Ensign Chekov told him. The boy was trying to keep his tone neutral but there was a nervousness in it. Kirk… Jim was one of those jumpers. After a pause the boy spoke again. "Approaching the platform at 5,800 meters."

Then they received a signal which had Spock's heart rate speeding up.

"Kirk to _Enterprise_. Distance to Target, 5,000 meters," Jim informed them.

"Forty-six hundred meters from the platform," Pavel informed them.

"Forty-five hundred meters to target," another voice called and Spock felt with every update his heart rate speed up in fear for his wife.

"Four thousand meters," Jim informed them.

"Three thousand meters," somebody said.

"Two thousand meters," Jim informed them and Spock heard somebody call that they were pulling their chute. Then they got information stating that two had pulled their chutes but one was still in a dive.

Then one of them was dead. A beeping filled the space and Spock sat up. Which one was it. Which one had died? It wasn't Jim because he wasn't in pain from a broken bond but which one was it.

"Olson is gone sir," Ensign Chekov told them Moments later the boy seemed relieved. "Kirk has landed sir." Spock sat back a little, not a lot but enough that anyone who could read the emotions of a vulcan would tell. Thankfully nobody there could do that… or he thought. The way the Ensign was looking at him he'd almost believe he'd seen it.

He sat there, waiting and watching. That's all anybody on the bridge could do at that moment. Some were doing scans of the planet but a lot of it was… blocked.

"The jamming signal's gone. Transport abilities are reestablished," Uhura announced.

"Transporter control is reengaged, sir," Chekov stated.

"Chekov, run gravitational sensors. I want to know what they are doing to the planet," Spock said, worrying about his home and about his family that was on the planet below.

"Aye, Commander," the boy said automatically before catching himself. "Captain, sorry, Captain."

"_Kirk to Enterprise. They just launched something at the planet through the hole they just drilled,"_ Jim's voice announced through the Comm. "Do you copy Enterprise?"

The bridge was busy and Spock kept taking in information and handing out orders.

"Captain, gravitational sensors are off the scale. If my calculations are correct, they're creating a singularity that will consume the planet," the boy said before turning to face him. Spock sat there in shock, his mind considering that information.

"They're creating a black hole at the center of Vulcan?" Spock asked.

"Yes, sir," Chekov informed him.

"How long does the planet have?" Spock asked.

"Minutes, sir, minutes," the boy said and Spock stood up.

"Alert Vulcan Command Center to signal a planet-wide evacuation, all channels, all frequencies," Spock told Uhura before moving to get ready.

"Spock wait," Uhura called.

"Maintain standard orbit," Spock told them.

"Where are you going?" Uhura asked.

"To evacuate the Vulcan High Council. They are tasked with protecting our cultural history. My parents will be among them," he told her.

"Can't you beam them out?" she asked.

"It is impossible. They will be in the _Katric Ark_," he informed her. That is deep within a cliff beneath layers of impenetrable rock. "I must get them myself. Chekov, you have the Conn."


	5. 5

Unsettling Reunions  
>Chapter 5<p>

One minute Jim was about to be splattered onto the surface of a planet she'd never thought she'd see again and the next she was landing in the transporter room with Sulu crushing her. Pavel exclaimed and Jim pushed Sulu off of her, pretty sure she now had at least a fractured rib from the fight, a broken hand, and now a broken rib due to him landing on her.

She shook it off as she moved to a kneeling position.

"Thanks," Sulu told her.

"No problem," she said while out of breath. That's when Spock walked in and she stood rapidly.

"Clear the Pad. I'm beaming to the surface," Spock ordered and she moved to stand beside him. She understood immediately.

"So am I," she told him. He went to argue but she stopped him. "I like your parents. I'm going so if you want to save them then don't argue." He nodded as they got into beaming position. Her outfit was heavy but she didn't care.

"Energize," he ordered and then they transported. Rocks were collapsing and it wasn't the Vulcan she remembered. But she ignored that, getting her bearings then sprinting. She climbed up the cliff until they were at the tunnel.

She ignored her old instincts that told her not to enter. Instead she ran down the winding tunnels. Inside it was gorgeous, a beautiful sight.

"Spock, Tibby," his mother said.

"Jim," another male said startled.

"The planet only has seconds left. We must evacuate," Spock announced, his hand touching Jim's for a moment that she almost didn't believe it. Then he called for his mother.

"I'll be towards the back, go," Jim told her husband who hesitated before nodding. He led the Vulcans through the tunnels. She ran through the path, trying to usher people along so they didn't get crushed. Rotek, at one point, moved her forward so she could help another female who was struggling.

They ran when the rocks where she would have been – where Rotek was now – suddenly collapsed. He was killed instantly and her heart almost stopped. Rotek was a friend and he'd just died.

Then she thought of his wife… his pregnant wife who would have just felt their bond get severed. She cringed before getting them outside. Once there she walked a few steps between Spock and Amanda. She didn't like how far out the woman was. She didn't trust the ground right then which was understandable to anyone.

"Spock to Enterprise. Get us out now," Spock ordered and Jamie grabbed his mother's hand, pulling her back toward the group.

"Don't move. Stay right where you are," Pavel's voice called and she swore as the ground began to give beneath Amanda. Acting on instinct rather than intellect she grabbed for Spock's wrist as she held Amanda's hand.

Both screamed as they began to fall. Jim's shoulder popped out of place but she held fast. Spock got on his knees to keep from being pulled down with him. His father grabbed him, to anchor him, having seen it about to happen. Jim and Amanda both slammed into the rocks one moment then were on the Transport pad the next. Spock released Jim's hand the moment they were there.

"Pavel, call Bones," Jim ordered and Pavel did as he was told. "And tell them to find Daniela Marks and get her to the Infirmary. She'll have collapsed somewhere."

"Danni… will she be okay?" Pavel asked and Jim didn't know.

"You are injured you should be sitting, Tibby," Spock told her as she stood up but she ignored him. That's when McCoy arrived.

"You're in good hands with him, ma'am," Jim told her mother-in-law. "McCoy is the best doctor I've ever met. Don't let his gruff personality scare you away."

"Kid what did you do this time?" McCoy asked and she shrugged.

"Rotek is dead. His wife will need to be in the infirmary," Jim told McCoy who blanched but nodded. Then Jim looked at Spock who led the way for them to go to an area set up for them. Spock escorted the limping Jim personally all the way there before Bones could inspect her injuries, wrapping her hand and a bonesetter on her ribs as well as regenerating skin and muscle in her leg that was damaged from slamming into the rocks. Thankfully her impact did little damage beyond that, unlike with Lady Amanda Grayson.

Danni had indeed collapsed and was in the infirmary, unconscious at a bed. It appeared the only thing keeping her alive was the fact she was determined to have her baby. She wouldn't let it die.

Spock's mother was in surgery with Vera – the only other Doctor on the ship. There had been three actual Doctors. Puri was dead. Then there was Vera Ellen and Leonard McCoy. McCoy had taken up the mantle of Chief Medical Officer.

Bones also worked on the few minor injuries Spock had endured as the man refused to leave her side as if any moment she'd disappear on him. Jim wouldn't admit that she was glad he stuck so close. She'd just seen Rotek be killed and the state Danni was in. She didn't know if she'd be able to survive it any better.

Once they left the infirmary with her hand bandaged they were at the Bridge where she was working through the information that was gathered. He was supposed to be the chief science officer. She might not have specialized in that field but they were required and she'd had the highest in her classes.

_~Unsettling Reunions~_

Spock had been sitting there, trying to pull himself together. He'd lost his planet. He'd lost everything he knew growing up. He found himself having trouble controlling his emotions.

Needing space and Privacy Spock stood up and went to the lift. Spock noticed both Jim and Uhura stand up. He looked at Jim and waited for her to enter. Uhura seemed to see this and sat back down.

Once in they were moving to the location he designated but Tibby stopped the lift before their arrival.

"I'm sorry… about everything," she whispered and he looked at her. He could see guilt in her eyes. He hated seeing it there. "I'm so sorry."

He stepped forward, pulling her into a hug. If she were anyone else he would not be so candid but she had always brought forth… human qualities. He felt grief over all the lives lost. He felt anger at the man who'd destroyed his planet. He felt the psychic screams of all those dying Vulcans which had reverberated through space. He doubted there was a Vulcan out there that had not sensed the dying cries of their people. He held her tight, her head on his chest as he held her there.

Her warmer temperature thawed the chill that had crept into him.

"What do you need?" she asked softly. He closed his eyes and then he felt it…. Something faint in the back of his mind. As they just held each other, opening up to one another, their bond was becoming stronger. It increased in strength and soon it was closer to where it had once been.

'_I need my family safe,' _he told her through the bond before moving to kiss her. She gave in easily. It was a chaste kiss but more than he'd felt since they were eighteen.

'_Good to feel you again. I've missed you,'_ her bond whispered and he just held her.

Then he pulled away as he realized she wasn't safe on the ship. She would be in danger. That Romulan had already made it known he knew she was important to him. He could not let the man use her against him because that seemed to be where this set of actions was heading.

"We need to return to work," he told her, blocking his thoughts from her. While he sensed her confusion her thoughts were not where he could read them. Then he continued the lift and left. He felt her though… he knew she was safe.

But he had to find a way to ensure she would remain that way.

He just hoped whatever it was he did it would not destroy the bond that was beginning to be reformed.

_~Unsettling Reunions~_

"Have you confirmed that Nero is headed for Earth?" Jim heard Spock ask as she sat in the Captain's chair.

"Their trajectory suggests no other destination, Captain," Uhura said and Jim frowned at this while trying to figure it out. This Romulan seemed to have a grudge.

"Thank you, Liutenant," Spock told Uhura and Jim tried to ask Spock what he was thinking nonverbally. But his barriers were up and they were thick. When she couldn't get through she decided to speak verbally but not her question.

"Earth may be his next target but we have to assume every federation planet's a target," she told them while thinking. Bones was at her side and she saw Spock glance at them. He wouldn't listen so she just ignored the jealousy in his gaze. If he wanted to play the 'lets-keep-your-wife-out' game she'd play the 'ignore-her-husband' game.

"Out of the chair," he ordered and she rolled her eyes before moving to stand. She ignored the fact she was dressed in all black and everyone else was in the standard red, blue, or yellow.

"Well, if the Federation is the target, why didn't they destroy us," Pavel asked. Jim already knew the answer to that question. And with that answered there were forty-million more questions left unanswered.

"Why would they? Why waste the weapons? We obviously weren't a threat," Sulu said though he flinched when Spock passed him. She knew he was afraid Spock would learn he'd hit on her and kick his ass. Of course, the man didn't know how true that used to be… she wasn't sure anymore. Spock was…

Different.

"That is not it. He said he wanted me to see something, the destruction of my home planet," Spock stated.

"How did they do that by the way? Where did the romulans get that kind of weaponry," Bones asked.

"The engineering comprehension needed to artificially create a black-hole may suggest an answer… Such technology could, theoretically, be manipulated to create a tunnel in space-time," Spock said and she looked at her husband.

"Damn it, Man, I'm a doctor, not a physicist. Jim, lame man's terms," Bones said turning to her.

"He means time travel… heavy stuff. I've never heard of anything this advanced… not even from the Vulcan science Academy which is lightyears ahead of anything we can cook up," she told them and everyone's eyes were on her. "Yes, I have some brains. Get over the shock now. We have bigger things to deal with." She hated how everyone underestimated her. She always was number one in all her classes yet everyone assumed she was stupid and sleeping her way through school. As if…

"Are you actually suggesting they are from the future?" Bones asked, more like demanded.

"If you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth," Spock told them before looking at her.

"Sherlock Holmes, nice reference," she told him and he bowed his head at her. She smirked though she couldn't help it. This banter was… comfortable between them.

"How poetic," Bones said. "And please, no flirting. It's just nauseating." Spock seemed insulted and she rolled her eyes.

"Go find Gaila, she'll help relieve that stress," Jim said and everyone chuckled despite the seriousness. Then she turned serious again as she turned to look at her husband who seemed confused by her rapid changes of topic. "Then what would an angry future Romulan want with Captain Pike?"

"As Captain, He does know details of Starfleet's defenses," Sulu said. Silently Jim kept imagining what had just happened to Vulcan happening to earth. She kept imagining Mandy, Jory, Joanna, and Providence getting caught on that planet as it was swallowed up. She knew that if she lost the twins her life would be over. And they would be destroyed if they lost their friends. Bones – her best friend – would be destroyed if his daughter was lost.

"What we need to do is catch up with that ship, disable it, take it over, and get Pike back," she told Spock who brushed her thoughts off, pissing her off.

"We are technologically outmatched in every way. A rescue attempt would be illogical," he told her. Something about the way he said it, the way he looked at her, and what little bits slipped through his shield, she wondered if it was more to do with keeping her away from the danger. If so he had another thing coming.

She was a member of Starfleet – at least for the time being. She would do her duty and she would do a damned good job at it too.

"Nero's ship would have to drop out of warp just for us to overtake them," Pavel said. "Sorry Jim." She wanted to glare but saw his point so she couldn't.

"Then… what about assigning engineering crews to try and boost our warp yield?" she asked, sorting through all the different scenarios they'd taught at the academy as well as the ones she and Gaila had used during their scenario game they played.

"Remaining crew are repairing radiation leaks on the lower decks…" Spock said and she sensed he was actually trying to anger her. His thoughts were blocked but his intentions were clear.

"Okay! All right! I get it," she said but he continued.

"And damage to subspace communications, without which we cannot contact Starfleet," Spock told her.

"Well there's got to be some way!" she told him sternly while walking to her husband who looked at her. The bond she'd felt growing stronger until then seemed to shrivel up and become barely the thread it had been.

"We must gather with the rest of Starfleet, to balance the terms of the next engagement," Spock told them, facing her. His face was cold. If she didn't know better even she would suspect he was as emotionless as he pretended to be.

"There won't be a next engagement. By the time we've gathered, it'll be too late. If he's from the future… then he knows you're the captain now. He'd know how you would think… especially since he seems to know the future you… so the logical course of action would be to be unpredictable."

"You're assuming that Nero knows how events are predicted to unfold. The contrary, Nero's very presence has altered the flow of history, beginning with the attack on the _U.S.S. Kelvin_," Spock stated and she took a step back. It felt as if he'd slapped her with his comments again. Even Uhura straightened up. "Culminating in the events of today, thereby creating an entire new chain of incidents that cannot be anticipated by either party."

"An alternate reality," Uhura stated, moving to stand.

"Precisely. Whatever our lives might have been, if the time continuum was disrupted, our destinies have changed," Spock told them before going to the captains seat.

Jim was thinking though.

If this started with the death of her father then her father, rightly, should have survived. If he'd survived then she would have had two parents rather than an alcoholic uncle who liked to put her down every chance he got, a nonexistent mother who insulted her just as much as her uncle, a shadow of a father she'd never known to fill.

In this other reality it sounded like she'd still met Spock but she doubted it wouldn't have been when she was eighteen so in all likelihood the twins wouldn't have existed. She probably would have been more like thirty when she met him so they may not have even gotten together right away.

Another thought struck her. When she was about thirteen or so she'd wanted to go to a training camp on Tarsus IV but her uncle had put his foot down. He'd thought her place was making his meals, working on the farm, and cleaning. He didn't want her becoming any smarter.

Tarsus IV had several massacres. The leader used Eugenics to choose who should live and die. He did three different 'cullings' and there were no survivors. With her luck she would have been there and would have barely survived. That meant she would have had mental damage.

"Not too much since in that reality he said we were married just like in this one," she told Spock who stopped and turned to look at her.

"Indeed," he said, not an emotion to be had.

"Though, knowing you I was your second wife," she told him flippantly. She got a reaction with that one. His hand clenched before he turned to Sulu.

"Mr. Sulu, plot a course for the Laurentian system, warp factor 3," Spock ordered Sulu.

"Spock, don't do that," she told him, hoping he'd listen. She prayed he'd listen because she would die if something happened to her children. That was not something she was strong enough to survive. "Running back to the rest of the fleet for a confab is a massive waste of time."

"These are the orders issued by Captain Pike when he left the ship," he told her.

"Yeah, and he also ordered us to go back and get him!" she said, barely controlling her temper. Several people inched closer to their tables, waiting for an explosion. She was known for them but she wouldn't… not with Spock. Especially not when she was on a Starfleet Vessel and the second in command unless necessary. "Spock, you are Captain now. You have to make…"

"I am aware of my responsibilities, Mrs. Kirk," he said and every person on the Bridge flinched as they heard that. It was a slap. She stumbled back though no physical strike had been made.

"Every second we waste, Nero's getting closer to his next target," Jim told her _Captain_. Even if the twins weren't there she could not stand by as billions of lives were blinked out of existence when she could have done something to stop it.

"That is correct, and why I'm instructing you accept the fact that I alone am in command," Spock told her.

"You had best either lock me in the brig or toss me off this ship because I cannot stand by while you willfully let more lives be lost. No matter whether they go after earth or another Federation Planet those are lives I'm not willing to let destroyed. So what is it… will you listen, toss me in the brig, or toss me off the ship," she asked.

Spock stood up.

"Security, escort her to my quarters. I will speak with her there," Spock said before turning away. The men both grabbed her arms tightly and manhandled her. She was a known fighter and the men literally began to drag her away. They didn't even turn her around so she stumbled on the stairs.

"Not an option," she muttered, pissed off. Then she moved, kicking the one's legs out from under him, using his momentum to throw the other off balance. Then she doubled up her elbow and slammed it into that man's head. The one got back up, grabbing her bad shoulder so she flipped him over her causing him to land on his friend.

That's when there was a tight pinch at her neck. Everything went rigid before it went black.

~_Unsettling Reunions~_

As Jamie began to collapse Spock reached out, lowering her slowly while the men stood up.

"What the hell?" Doctor McCoy asked and Spock could sense the man's concern and worry. He felt jealousy that this man seemed to care about his wife. He wondered how close the pair had become since they met though he knew he should not.

Spock ignored that and knelt, picking up his wife who was full of firm muscles and little body fat. That, at least, hadn't changed much. Though he had to admit he missed her long blonde hair. He carried her from the Bridge to the area where the emergency pods were.

"It'll be safer this way," he whispered to her as he placed her in the pod. Then he moved, brushing a strand of her short blonde hair from her face which appeared to be sleeping. Though he knew that by the time the pod took off the affects would have worn off and she would be fully aware, and likely angry at him.

But he could not concentrate on the mission if he was concerned with her as his second in command. If she was his subordinate he knew he would constantly fear for her safety.

That's why he set the pod toward a planet where he knew there was an outpost. The moment they found her signal they would retrieve her. Of course, she would stay inside. It was more logical than traversing an unknown land alone with no shelter and no supplies.

Set he closed the pod, securing it. Then he jettisoned it, praying she would be safe.


	6. 6

Unsettling Reunions  
>Chapter 6<p>

Jim awoke as everything around her shook then she hit her head against the top as the belt that held her in snapped from impact. She groaned while rubbing her head, suddenly disoriented. She must have blacked out because she found herself waking up again, tired and foggy.

It took her a moment to remember where she was. Then it came back that her husband jettisoned her from the ship. Of course, she'd told him too. But by all rights she never thought he would.

By god, who does that to their own wife?

"He is never getting sex again…" she muttered to herself. "_Pon Farr _doesn't count in that equation." Then she realized she was talking to herself. "God. I'm losing my mind, where the hell am I anyways?" Pressing a few buttons on the computer she got the voice recognition on though the computer appeared to have been damaged slightly upon impact. "Computer, where am I?"

"Location, Delta Vega," the machine informed her as she unwrapped her hands. Even now she could tell she'd have a climb and would need full use of her hands. She didn't care that her hand was freshly healed and the slightest thing could break it again until it settled which would be a few days. "Class-M planet. Unsafe. There is a Starfleet Outpost fourteen Kilometers to the Northwest. Remain in your pod until retrieved by Starfleet authorities."

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me," she groaned while looking to see what there was in the Pod. She didn't even find a coat. She figured that was Spock's way of saying 'stay in the Pod'. There was nothing for her to survive on if it took them time to get to her.

Spock probably figured they wouldn't take long to get to her but from what she could see she figured it would take a while.

Sighing she pushed the door opened and felt the cold. She shivered but remembered she'd been through Iowa winters which could get really cold when they wanted to. Pulling herself out she forced herself to continue climbing, not worrying about whether she got frost bite from the cold cliffs.

Though she was thankful for the rock climbing lessons on Vulcan she was more than a little pissed at the man who gave them to her.

She made it to the top and saw nothing but ice, swearing. Then she began walking, through the freezing cold, sure she was going to end up freezing to death. She'd been walking for about ten minutes, her skin numb now as all her internal heat was being zapped. She knew how hypothermia worked.

Soon she would get too weak and collapse, only to die.

Part of her wondered if Spock would even care.

It felt like there were two different people inside her husband. There was the loving man she'd been with in the lift who was warm and sought comfort with her. Then there was the other Spock who barely gave her a look and said anything and everything he could to hurt her. She didn't know which was the real Spock and if he'd even care if she died.

"Stardate 2258. 42," she said into her log. "Or 44, whatever." It had already been eighteen-hours since the hearing and it didn't feel like it. A part of it she'd been unconscious from the allergic reaction and sedative. According to Bones her body was more exhausted now than it had been before the sedative. Apparently the allergic reaction had caused her body not to receive any rest since then which meant she'd been up twenty some odd hours since eight hours before the trial she'd had her test and before that she hadn't been able to sleep from nerves. "Acting captain Spock has marooned me on Delta Vega without any of the necessary provisions needed to survive in the middle of a blizzard in what I believe to be a violation of Security Protocol 49.09 governing the treatment of prisoners aboard a star…"

She said, walking, when she heard something behind her that was not the wind.

Spinning around Jim found herself facing a running beast and she swore. It was charging at her and looked god awfully hungry.

At any later point she would deny the terrified and girly shriek that escaped her lips as she moved to run away from it. But the thing was huge and made for running in the snow. She… was not. She ran and ran only to stumble multiple times. She ignored the fact it looked like the tips of her fingers were turning a darker color. Frostbite. Great.

Just then she felt the ground shift as there was a crashing noise behind her. Then something jumped out of the water to the ground, devouring the beast.

Jim scooted backwards, ignoring the pain in her shoulder which had just intensified again, probably fractured though not dislocated again which was good. Also her hand was hurting. Check that one off the reinjure list.

Once it was devoured the thing looked at her and she moved to run. This thing was fast and big… but it was obviously an aquatic creature.

Sprinting away she ran, glancing over her shoulder. Only she chose the wrong time to do so. She fell down a decline, a steep decline, falling and rolling, bruising her arms, her shoulder, her ribs, cutting her head open as the thing fell after her.

Getting to the ice she made herself stand though her ankle was now sore. Thankfully she knew adrenaline would repress that… along with her natural defenses against pain. She ran and ran, running into a cave with the godzila spider creature close behind her. Then its tongue caught her bad ankle and she gasped. It began pulling her in.

She tried to kick but that only caused it to pull her closer.

"I'm so dead," she muttered to herself.

That's when a man ran up with fire, waving it at the thing which released her. It ran away at that, obviously afraid. The man backed toward her and she could see the outline of Vulcan ears telling her this man was a Vulcan. Though she was surprised to see one on an ice planet.

They had an aversion to the cold due to their naturally colder temperatures and their normally warmer climate on their planet.

He turned to face her and she froze. That face… he reminded her of Sarek… but there was something else… something she didn't recognize.

"Jamie T. Kirk," he told her and she frowned, wondering how he knew her name.

"Excuse me?" She asked.

"How did you find me?" the Vulcan man asked and she wondered what the hell was going on. Something in the back of her mind told her that the answer was in front of her but she just wasn't seeing it. Her gaze was too limited.

"Whoa… how do you know my name?" she asked as she moved to stand, the adrenaline keeping any aches from hurting.

"I have been, and always shall be, your friend," he said and she frowned. She went to deny knowing him when the look caught her off guard. It was open, his emotions clear in soft brown eyes… those eyes she recognized.

"You're the other Spock… from the other reality," she gasped as it suddenly struck her.

"I am," he told her. Then he noticed her clothing and he actually removed his coat. Then he moved to place it on her shoulders before he went to get the fire going better. He stoked the fire and she felt herself getting warmer.

They knelt there and she looked at him. He was older and Vulcan. He needed to be warm more than she did. So she stood up and walked over to him, putting the coat back around him.

"It is remarkably pleasing to see you again, old friend," he told her. "Especially after the events of today."

"You keep calling me old friend but I got the feeling – with how that Romulan addressed me – that we were more than just friends," she told him and he smiled. "Was I wrong?"

"No, you were not wrong. In my timeline Jamie T. Kirk and I were married by both Vulcan and Human customs," he informed her. "That was several years after she became captain and we first met on the Enterprise. We called each other friend because that is how we started. In the beginning, though there was a pull, we were old enough we denied it. We were friends who became lovers. The title of old friend became common between us."

"Captain? That's ironic since I met my Spock on Vulcan during a summer educational program, am married to him, and he marooned me here for mutiny. My own husband becomes Captain and maroons me. God, he's pissed me off," she muttered, her anger in her voice as she tried to warm her frost bitten hands. She ignored the feeling in her stomach that said that, in all reality, she and Spock should have waited in their timeline to get married. But nature had overrode that idea before it could be made.

Without thinking he grabbed her hands and put them between his, allowing his temperature to warm them.

"Nero," the man muttered and she tensed. She looked up at him and she saw he looked away from her eyes.

"What do you know about him," she asked and he released her hands and scooted her closer to the fire.

"He is a particularly troubled Romulan," he told her and she frowned. That was the understatement of the year. "Please, allow me. It will be easier."

"Hey, no. If you go in there I may be tempted to search your memories and see things you don't want," she informed him and his lips turned upwards. He was more… human than her Spock in many ways.

"You may look, if I may have the same courtesy," he told her and she nodded. Then he melded their minds together. "One hundred twenty-nine years from now, a star will explode and threaten to destroy the galaxy."

That's when the link was made and she saw stars, the one that would explode. _'A star went supernova, consuming everything in its path.'_ His mental voice said as she watched it. She saw the star explode destructively. _'I promised the Romulans that I would save their planet.'_

She saw the promise being made then she saw a ship, a gorgeous little ship that she knew was to be manned by one person.

'_We outfitted our fastest ship. Using red matter I would create a black hole which would absorb the exploding star. I was en route, when the unthinkable happened.' _Guilt crashed down with the images of him in space then the supernova destroyed the planet of Romulus. All those people. _'The Supernova destroyed Romulus. I had little time. I had to extract the red matter and shoot it into the supernova. As I began my return trip, I was intercepted. He called himself Nero, last of the Romulan Empire.' _

The Romulan's face was younger in his mind but no less angry. It sent white hot anger through her knowing this man destroyed her loves home. He'd killed a friend, almost took the life of her mother-in-law, and decimated any chance her children ever had of seeing their father's home world.

'_In my attempt to escape, both of us were pulled into the black hole. Nero went through first, he was the first to arrive,'_ his voice informed her. She watched him witness Nero's ship disappear. Then Spock arrived with him. _'Nero spent the next twenty-three, nearly twenty-four years waiting for my arrival… but what was years for him, was only seconds for me. I went through the black hole. Nero was waiting for me. He held me responsible for the loss of his world. He captured my vessel and spared my life, for one reason. So that I would know his pain. He beamed me here so that I could observe his vengeance. As he was helpless to save his planet, I would be helpless to save mine. Billions of lives lost because of me, Jim. Because, I failed.'_

Then she felt his mental barriers open and she lowered hers, escaping into his memories of the past. She didn't want to cry.

_-Unsettling Reunions-_

_It was pouring down rain as Jim found herself outside on what appeared to be an alien rain forest environment. The sky was red behind the clouds and light glistened off the soaked scenery. She saw herself looking on herself. She was older by about five or six, maybe seven years, her hair having gotten a little darker and she was more muscular in the fact her muscles were broader. _

"_You idiot," her voice growled as he turned to walk away. She watched him turn around and her other self tossed herself at Spock, pulling him into a kiss. Her lips pressed against his as she held him close. The rain soaking the pair._

_His hands moved to rest on her waist, pulling her even closer. Then she pulled away, out of breath, her hands resting on his cheeks, forcing him to face her. _

"_I love you, Spock. I'm in love with you. Have been for a long while," she told him and he responded by pulling her in for another kiss. _

_~Unsettling Reunions~_

_The room she was in was crowded. The scene was foggy, fuzzy. Nothing was clear right then. But then one part of the scene cleared. She knew this was because his memories hadn't been clear. Jim saw herself. She was older. Her hair had darkened more than it had since her childhood. She was laughing and smiling as she stood in a crowd. _

_Uhura was at her side, smiling at a man she didn't recognize but knew was important to her in the other life. Well, he kind of looked familiar but she couldn't place him. _

_Jim looked happy, her face was flushed. Her mother and father were in the corner. Her mother seemed uncomfortable and was standing next to Sam as well as her father… the one she'd only ever seen in pictures. He seemed happy. He looked at her older self and there was… pride in his eyes. _

_Her other self smiled at him, beaming happily. _

_Spock's joy was tangible right then, but he was concealing it as he simply watched her. The long white gown was not modern but an old fashioned halter style that left much of her bare. His eyes glanced at the ring he was wearing around his left ring finger. It was a white gold band, beautiful and antique. _

_He slipped it off and she saw the word 'Ashayam'. It meant beloved in Vulcan and a smile toyed at her lips. _

"_Come on, Spock, loosen up a little," Jim said as she walked over to him, the dress moving around her legs. Amanda walked in at that moment with her arm in Sarek's. She noticed the relief flit through his features though it was gone moments later. _

"_I don't believe I am capable of loosening up any more than I already have my T'hy'la," he informed her and she knew he meant his muscles as he slid his ring back on his fingers. Then he brushed a strand of hair out of her face and her older self smiled. _

"_Dance with me," she whispered into his ear. He shivered as her breath hit his sensitive ear. At that the younger Jim smiled. Both Spocks reacted that way to that certain action. With that her older self took her hand in his and he did not resist as he was led to the dance floor. _

_People cheered as she led him out there. Then he held her close as she leaned into him, swaying to the slower music. _

_-Unsettling Reunions-_

_The scene changed and Spock ran down the hall past the younger Jim. She had to run down the hallway after him. People leapt out of his way as he ran; ignoring the fact he was bleeding green blood. He was showing fear and nervousness and anyone would be able to see that. It didn't take being able to read Vulcans to see that. _

_Then they turned a corner and the Infirmary doors were opened. As soon as they did she heard herself swear. She was lying there in a biobed, her legs up and her stomach obviously heavily pregnant. Jim stopped inside the door suddenly understanding the significance. _

_She and Spock were about to become parents. _

"_Oh, I'm never having sex again," the other Jim growled in pain. Then that Jim caught sight of Spock and her look changed from frustration and pain to relief and a little fear. "Spock!" Her voice took on a tone of relief. "I didn't think you'd make it back in time. I didn't… I can't do this alone."_

"_I am here," he told her before moving to her other selves side, taking her hand in his. Then he moved so she could lean against his uninjured shoulder, kissing her temple as he did. "McCoy, is she alright?"_

"_They're both fine… and you're right on time," Bones announced. "She is fully dilated. Shouldn't be much longer."_

"_You're hurt," the other Jim said while moving to touch just beside his injury so as not to cause him any more pain only to cry out as a contraction tore through her and his hand caught her hand. He flinched as he took her hand and she knew that this Spock was sensing her pain. _

"_Worry about you now, T'Hy'la," he told her as she pushed during the contraction, trying not to scream. Even the modern Jim could sense her other selves pain. But then she figured it was because he was sensing it. _

_Ten minutes passed before the cries of a newborn filled the room. The child was perfect with ten fingers and toes, two pointed ears, higher brows. _

"_You have a son," McCoy stated and she smiled at him. He frowned and Jim wondered what she was missing. _

"_We agreed, I got to name the baby if it was a boy," she told Spock tiredly. _

"_We did," he told her. _

"_David, David Grayson Kirk," she muttered before passing out from exhaustion. Spock moved quickly to catch her. Then he laid her down gently. He was concerned. _

"_She was worried about you which prevented her from getting any rest while those natives held you captive. She just needs to catch up on it," McCoy told Spock automatically. "We should tend to your injuries now. Nurse Chapel will take care of… David. There is no need to get blood on your son." Spock nodded at that but his eyes never left the sight of his son. _

_~Unsettling Reunions~_

'_No,' Jim gasped as she saw Spock kneeling there in the corner. She knew something was wrong when she saw it and him, lying in that glass room like that… something was wrong. _

"_Spock!" her older voice yelled. Then her older self ran right through her, blocking her sight. She was chubbier then, her hair was a lot different. Moving Jim watched Spock pull himself up but he didn't turn to look at her – the older her. Instead he straightened his shirt, moving their direction. _

_He was disoriented and she knew it. This was proven when he ended up running into the wall. He slipped over next to the older Jim and the younger Jim touched the glass wondering how the hell they got to this point. It looked like Spock was dying. _

_That's when she finally noticed a boy – though young man may have been more appropriate – who must have been David standing there with two girls. One looked more human reminding Jim of Mandy and the other looked like Spock in all ways. _

"_Ship… out of danger?" Spock's voice asked, sounding raspier than she recalled it having ever been. _

"_Yes," the other Jim said while nodding, tears falling down her eyes. For the first time Jim was close enough to realize her eyes had been brown in the alternate reality. That explained why he wouldn't look her in the eyes. _

"_Don't grieve, Admiral," he stated and she saw blood oozing from radiation burns on his face. "It is logical. The needs of the many outweigh…" he stopped, obviously unable to continue. _

"_The needs of the few," she finished for him in unison with her older self. It was basic logic but Jim had never agreed with that. Every life was important – it didn't matter whose life it was. If you could save the day without life lost then it should be attempted. He nodded at them. _

"_Or the one," Spock's voice said and the younger Jim felt herself crying. He turned away from them and then stopped. He was looking at the center console. "I never took the Kobyashi Maru Test… until now. What do you think of my solution?" Jim laughed as she cried. Of course fate had to throw _that_ in her face now. Of all the irony._

"_Spock…" her older self whispered while crying again. _

"_I have always been, and always shall be, your friend," he informed her while putting his hand against the glass. Jim did the same as she stood there. "Live long and prosper, my T'hy'la. David," Spock said, looking past Jim to the Vulcan male. "Take care of your mother… and sisters. Kiri, Asil, help your mother," Spock told the three and they nodded. Two of them looked about eight or nine years younger than the boy and she suspected they were twins though they didn't look it. The one who was most human came to her older selves side and began rubbing her back while touching the glass with her other hand._

_Jim knew a daddy's girl when she saw one and that was a daddy's girl about to lose her parent. _

"_Spock!" Jim cried as his hand slipped downward. The surroundings were going black but she heard two cries before everything was gone. _

"_No My love, No," came from Jim but she heard a younger voice whisper, "Not yet, dad. Please not yet."_

_~Unsettling Reunions~_

_The Next Memory showed a younger Spock. David was fighting with a Klingon when she closed her eyes. He'd been stabbed. She felt herself fall to her knees realizing Spock had seen his own child be killed. Though Spock did not seem fully aware of anything she knew this memory haunted him. _

_And it would haunt her – the life that might have been. _

_~Unsettling Reunions~_

"_Go back to your T'Hy'la," the Vulcan female told Spock. _

"_But… I must do the honorable thing. You helped me through…" he began and the female Vulcan shook her head. _

"_No bond was formed," the female said and Jim realized what they were talking about. Her older self was standing in the corner, head bowed. "You had just been reborn and your Katra was not within your body. I understood and did what was necessary to maintain your survival. Nothing more. Your Katra, if it too had perished it would have destroyed her and that bond remains strong. Go," the Vulcan said. _

"_Are you sure?" the older Jim asked. "I mean… it's obvious that…" Jim motioned to her stomach which was already swelling. _

"_I must confess I am unsure of how to proceed. I wish to remain with Starfleet but this pregnancy is unplanned," the Vulcan admitted. _

"_The child shall be… our responsibility," he informed her. He glanced at Jim who nodded her head. _

"_You saved my husband and I will always be grateful. Your child can stay with us and you can visit your child anytime," Jim told the Vulcan who nodded. _

"_Thank you," the woman said. Then she nodded her head before leaving after them. _

_Once she left Spock turned to Jim who looked away. _

"_I apologize…" he began and she shook her head. _

"_I understand. But understanding it and it not hurting are two different things," she told him. "Just give me time. Besides, I'm sure I'll love this child as much as the other three… even if it's not biologically mine. Besides, at my age there is no way for me to continue conceiving. This will be the last until I'm gone and you have to take a mate." _

"_Do not speak of that. You are still young," he told her. _

"_And they say Vulcan's can't lie," she whispered before shaking her head. "I will die Spock. It's just a matter of time." _

"_There is still time," he whispered and the younger Jim had a sinking feeling as she heard this Spock utter those words to the Older Jim. She'd heard those words before – right before she left Vulcan and didn't see him for five years. Something bad was about to happen._

_~Unsettling Reunions~_

_Spock watched as the wave crashed into the ship one minute – something he'd never seen before. One minute Jim was there and the next she was gone, having been taken away. Moments later Spock clutched his chest. _

_His bond was broken and his daughter grabbed his shoulder. _

"_Father?" the Vulcan girl asked and he shook his head. _

"_Your mother is gone, Kiri," he whispered and they looked at him. "Our bond is broken. She… she is gone." _

"_Maybe it'll come back, she'll somehow be found and be revived," the Vulcan female that appeared more human said as a girl of about five sat at Spock's feet, obviously confused and scared. _

"_Where is M'aih," the little girl whispered. "Where is M'aih, Sa-mekh?" _

"_She's dead, Tibby," Kiri whispered, crying. She knew if Spock could cry he would have been. Jim looked at the girl who had dark brown hair and Spock's soft brown eyes. This girl – though not hers biologically – had been given her name. She felt pride in that. _

"_Kiri – No," the child whispered willfully. _

"_We'll contact Saavik. She'll get Tibby for a while, let you grieve," Kiri whispered to him. _

"_No want Ko-mekh, want M'aih," Tibby yelled as the others looked away from the private moment. Jim knew both Ko-Mekh and M'aih were ways to say mother though one was more common. Kind of like saying mother instead of mom. Tibby kept calling Jim M'aih which was like Mom while Saavik was called 'mother'. It was interesting for Jim to realize that. _

~Unsettling Reunions~

She stepped backwards away from him while feeling hurt. His heart break, over everything. His grief over the loss of his son, of his loss of her, of the loss of his planet. That's when she remembered that while she'd been in his memories he'd been examining hers.

"Forgive me. Emotional transference is an effect of the mind-meld," Spock told her and she nodded before walking away, toward the entrance of the cave, trying to hold back the tears that threatened to fall.

The pain was strong. She knew how strongly Vulcans felt but all of these things compounded upon each other. She wasn't sure how any one being could survive all that pain.

"That was my dad in the wedding memory," she told him.

"It was. I saw he perished approximately twenty-four years ago, when Nero came through, I apologize for that," he told her and she nodded. "We must go. There is a Starfleet outpost not far from here." They began to walk and she stopped. She wanted to ask about her father but didn't know how. He seemed to understand. "You often told me that your father was your inspiration for joining Starfleet. He proudly lived to see you become Captain of the _Enterprise_ though your relationship with your mother was always strained no matter what reality you are in."

"Captain," she asked, feeling warmth at the word.

"A ship we must return you to as soon as possible," he told her. Then he began walking. Silently she followed after the older Spock. She saw so much of her husband in that man – the man her husband could have become. He was like her husband when they were younger – when she first fell in love with Spock.

But there was so much else too. He wasn't her Spock. She could see that as well. It confused her wondering if she'd ever see the Spock she'd just met in her own time-stream or if she'd end up divorced by the end of all this.

_[Three long chapters… And I know… I'm evil. My cousins keep reminding me of that every time they beta for me. Anyways, I would like to thank everyone who has favorited/alerted and or reviewed so far. And I'd like to send a special thanks out to _Mini Alice Nelson, CrazyFoxyCookie, sm1982, cyma, Ahsoka55, Sofia Ann, blueoctober, RubyHair, Yana5, Yasmine Lupin, Theta Grace Smith, Fernsfairie, MirrorFlower and DarkWind, Jasperhaleslover, _and _Fire Dolphin _for reviewing.]_


	7. 7

Unsettling Reunions  
>Chapter 7<p>

"Thank you, Gentlemen," Spock told the helmsman and pilot. The one kept shooting him murderous glares and he really wondered if that boy intended him harm. He'd threatened him already but he was not sure how deep their relationship went.

"You wanted to see me?" a voice asked, angrily. Spock turned to see the Chief Medical Officer standing there.

"Yes, Doctor," Spock said, moving to stand up. Then he walked down to the side. "I am aware that Jamie Kirk is a friend of yours. I recognize that supporting me as you did must have been difficult."

"Is that a thank you," Doctor McCoy asked.

"I am simply acknowledging your difficulties," Spock told the man. He did not see the need to thank the man.

"Permission to speak freely, sir," the Doctor asked.

"I welcome it," Spock told the Doctor, wondering what he had to say.

"Do you? Okay, then." The man went from calm and collected to obviously irate at him which was quite confusing. Spock began to wonder if he should be jealous again. "Are you out of your Vulcan mind? Are you making a logical choice sending _cadet_ Kirk away? Maybe. But I happen to agree with what she said. Sending _cadet_ Kirk away may have been the logical choice. But sending your wife away? Do you realize she will never stay in the pod? You left her defenseless on a hostile planet alone, and she is trouble as it is. She's always hurt in some way." Spock hid his sudden fear well as he understood what the man was telling him. He'd sent her to be protected but… he was wondering if he'd been too hasty and not thought things through. "You will be lucky if you did not just send your wife to her death. And trust me… if your plan fails, which I'm sure it will, she will be better off dead than surviving what is to come."

Spock saw his father enter the Bridge and he went past the medical officer, aware that he'd made a huge mistake. If his wife died he doubted he would survive her death. He did not understand the last part but was sure the Doctor knew something he didn't.

He was walking to his father, and his mother who had been brought in with a wheel chair, when he heard the Doctor mutter.

'Green Blooded Hobgoblin.'

His mother chuckled at that and the Doctor left the bridge but Spock was feeling very raw right then. His emotions were barely contained beneath the surface. Spock tried to open his bond with his wife back up but he could barely sense it. What he did sense was a wall between them. Even when time and distance had been their separator, weakening the bond, he'd never felt anything like this.

For the first time time he wondered if he'd pushed her too far. He wondered, even if they got her back alive, would his _T'hy'la_ return to him.

_~Unsettling Reunions~_

Jim stepped into the hallway, freezing cold and shivering from her temperature. Spock had attempted, numerous times, to get her to take his coat rather than her thin black under uniform which went under whatever over-shirt went with your position. The shirt wasn't meant to keep her warm in arctic temperatures.

She adamantly refused Spock's offer.

So what if she got frostbite or killed over. Right now she was pissed enough she might do it just to Spite the younger Spock. Though she hesitated at the fact it would be the older one who would suffer worse than his younger half. He'd survived his wife dying and to see her die only when she was younger than he'd ever know her… that would be cruel to him.

Still, she was in a warmer area now and felt it. She sighed and leaned against the wall as Spock closed the door. Then a little guy came and led them down the hall.

She didn't focus on who they were. She was finding it difficult to focus at all.

"We'll get you something warm," Spock whispered when she stumbled and he had to catch her to keep her from falling. The pair entered a room and turned a corner. Jim instantly recognized the man. Where Sulu had taken longer for her to remember this man was familiar.

He'd helped her save the mom and kid from the burning vehicle. Then it also clicked. The image next to Uhura in Spock's memories had been of this man, older. He'd been the engineer of the Enterprise!

"What?" the man asked as the smaller man tapped him. He began ranting about food.

"You are Montgomery Scott," Spock said.

"Wait… how do you know him?" she asked only for the man to go off talking about food… again.

Jim zoned out, trying to focus but the concussion was making that kind of difficult. All she heard was 'transwarp beaming' and 'archer's prize beagle'.

"I know that dog. What happened to it?" she asked.

"I'll tell you when it reappears. I don't know. I do feel guilty about that," Montgomery Scott said only to stop. "You're the lass from the accident – just days before I wound up here."

"Yeah, Jim Kirk. I'm here because I pissed off my husband, the captain of our starship. He marooned me," she said.

"Nice husband," Montgomery Scott said.

"Well, he was. Might be again one day," Jim said, subtly glancing at the older Spock which would get very confusing real fast.

"What if I told you that your transwarp theory was correct, that it is indeed possible to beam onto a ship that is traveling at warp speed?" Spock asked and she looked at him, suddenly focused. If what he said was true then that could change Starfleet irrevocably.

"I think… if that equation had been discovered, I'd have heard about it," the Scotsman argued. The sudden urge to call him Scotty hit her but she bit her tongue for now.

"The reason you haven't heard about it, Mr. Scott, is because you haven't discovered it yet," Elder Spock told her.

"Are you from the future?" Scotty asked.

"Yeah, he is, I'm not. This is who my husband could become. So far, I'm liking this version better," she said and Spock's brow raised in only a way he could manage.

"Indeed," Spock said and she shrugged, hiding a wince as her left shoulder protested.

"Well, that's brilliant. Do they still have sandwiches there?" Scotty asked. That was definitely his new nickname.

After a bit he showed them were he did his experiments.

"Well, she's a wee bit dodgy. Shield emitters are totally banjaxed, as well as a few other things," Scotty told them. "On youse go. So, the _Enterprise_ has had its maiden voyage has it?" he asked. "She is one well-endowed lady. I'd like to get my hands on her ample nacelles, if you'll pardon the engineering parlance." She smiled. He was definitely an engineer.

"You know, some would take offense, but I think I could like you," she told Scotty.

"And your little lass… you had a daughter right?" he asked. Spock seemed to hesitate to listen. She nodded. "How is she? She seemed terrified after the accident. No permanent damage?"

"No, my girl is tough. After a month of nightmares she seemed to come to terms with what happened," she told Scotty. "Spock what are you doing?"

"I just put in the equation."

"You know, I don't fully," Scotty began before stopping as he saw the equation. "That's it?"

"That's it. Your transwarp beaming equation," Spock told Scotty.

"Imagine that. It never occurred to me to think of space as the thing that was moving," he said and she turned to Spock impressed. Then a thought occurred to her.

"You're coming with us, right?" she asked.

"No Jim. That is not my destiny," Spock said and she gaped at him.

"Your des… he, the other Spock is not gonna believe me. Only you can explain what the hell's happened," she told him. "As you are aware my husband is a stubborn ass when he wants to be."

"Under no circumstances can he be made aware of my existence," Spock said loudly, looking at both of them. Scotty nodded, understanding that was directed at him as well. He knew that she was married to a younger version of that man and he was the captain, ergo, he'd have to keep the secret as well. "You must promise me this." His voice was softer this time, focusing on her.

"You're telling me I can't tell you I'm following your own orders?" Jim asked in disbelief. "Why not? What happens?"

"Jim, this is one rule you cannot break," he said and she flinched. He was implying that the universe would be destroyed. Something told her that he was… lying but she wouldn't chance it. "To stop Nero, you alone must take command of your ship."

"How, over your dead body? Pretty sure that would kill me too," she stated.

"You are strong… it is unlikely you would die… but preferably not," he said and she understood that he was saying he preferred to remain alive but she was strong enough she could survive.

She wanted to argue that she wouldn't survive if he was dead… but she couldn't do that.

"Starfleet regulation 619 states that any command officer who's emotionally compromised by the mission at hand must resign said command," he told her.

"That won't work. I'm emotional and I keep thinking of my children. They'd call me compromised," she told him.

"But you have not lost them nor have you lost your world. You will fight to preserve and are not nearly as compromised as I promise my younger self is," Spock informed her and she nodded with a swallow.

"Aye then lass. Live or die, let's get this over with," Scotty called from the consoles. She looked at this older Spock; memorizing the look of awe on his face when he saw her, memorizing the love she'd seen in his face as well as the knowledge she wasn't his – that pain. She went to the transporters slowly. As she got there a thought struck her.

"You know, coming back in time, changing history… that's cheating," Kirk told the older Spock.

"A trick I learned from an old friend," he said and there was pride tinting his voice as he spoke of her. Then he pressed a few buttons and turned to her, giving her the Vulcan salute. "Live Long and Prosper." She gave him one back as she stood straight, then lowered her hand before she fully disappeared.


	8. 8

Unsettling Reunions  
>Chapter 8<p>

Spock was sitting in the Captain's chair, still sure of his orders in all regards – except for in the area of one Jamie Tabitha Kirk. Like always the woman stepped into his life disrupting his emotional equilibrium making it harder to maintain his balance around her.

Plus the lecture he'd received from his mother upon her discovery that he had sent Jamie to a remote ice world with just the pod had him reeling.

She told him the same things Doctor McCoy had only to go a step further. His mother informed him that only a day before she had spoken with Jamie Tabitha Kirk and his wife had been about to go retrieve him. His wife had a secret that he'd be lucky if she ever told him of now after the stunts he'd pulled. Part of him wanted to know what the secret was.

But Spock focused his mind on the job. He could not be thinking of his wife who was safe on a remote planet with a Starfleet post nearby.

Instead he turned his mind to Nero. Even the thought of the name made Spock furious. He wanted to see that man pay for what he'd done to Vulcan and all the lives he'd taken. He wanted that man to suffer for what he'd done.

That's when his father reentered the Bridge after escorting his mother back down to Sickbay.

He went to his father, trying to regain control over his emotions and his mind. He could not let his father know how his emotions were at that moment.

They spoke quietly, mostly discussing his mother, after his return.

As they spoke the boy called to him.

"Captain Spock! Detecting unauthorized access to water turbine control board," Chekov told him and Spock moved to stand beside the boy who actually leaned away from him. He would discuss proper treatment of a commanding officer at a later time.

"Bring up the video," he ordered the Navigator. There he saw his wife, dressed in all black, running with another man. His mind pondered how she could have gotten back on board while his instincts and emotions were suddenly full of jealousy. He pressed a button contacting security. "Security, Seal the Engineering Deck. We have intruders in Turbine Section 3. Set Phasers… to stun." He hated giving that order. He even hesitated.

No matter what, Cadet Kirk was his wife. Ordering another person to do damage to her… went against everything within him. But she was an intruder and stowaway. He went over to take some readings while Security brought his wife from Engineering to the Bridge.

The door opened and Spock saw bruises and even a small clotted gash on his wife's forehead that had not been there before.

It looked like she'd been in a severe fight and he was suddenly worried.

"Who are you?" Spock demanded of the man.

"I'm with her," the man said and Spock felt his temper flare at her response which was to repeat everything the man just said. He reeled in his emotions, concealing them because they could not rule him in that moment.

"We are travelling at Warp Speed. How did you manage to beam aboard this ship?" Spock demanded of the pair, of Cadet Kirk and the other man. He blocked his bond though he knew she would not use it. She was blocking him just as fiercely.

"Well, you're the genius, you figure it out," she told him, her voice sarcastic. There was a challenge in her words and he could not help but take the bait.

"As Acting Captain of this vessel I order you to answer the question," he demanded of her. Her blue eyes locked on him and he heard several mutters and in his peripheral vision he saw the boy lower his head which he was shaking with a little smirk, as if amused. He was a captain and she would do as ordered.

"I don't think so Spock," she told him. He turned his face from her to the other man but his wife stepped in his line of sight. "We aren't done with this conversation."

"That's captain to you, Cadet Kirk," he told her and he saw the anger flash in her eyes. Then regret flashed through her eyes but it was quickly smothered by determination. He didn't understand it though.

"Hmm… I knew Humans had huge egos but I never thought Vulcans had them," she said and he felt as if she had just slapped him. She was pointing out his heritage which she knew would infuriate him. "Oh, wait, you're not full Vulcan, are you husband? Plus you're an emotionally compromised half-Vulcan at that," she informed him and he understood then what she was doing. She was pushing him.

He stepped toward her.

"Do not assume to know anything about my current mental state… Cadet," he told her, frustrated. He was trying to get into her head through the bond but he sensed nothing from her. In fact, the room was completely silent as everyone stared at them.

"As a cadet, I wouldn't know. But as your wife, I know you well," she informed him.

"It has been five years. It is logical to assume I have changed since then," he told her, feeling hurt and betrayed by her jab at his heritage. She shook her head and he noticed dried blood along her hair line.

"You still clench your left hand into your pants when you get frustrated," she informed him while motioning to his hand. Glancing down he saw his hand had indeed clutched itself in his pants without his realizing it. "You still tap your thumb when it is behind your back when you are impatient to do something as you were during the trial. You are still a fan of Sherlock Holmes – which I remind you I introduced you to when we were eighteen. And you're still brilliant with computer programming," she told him.

"Superficial facts," he said though even he could hear the way his words shook. She remembered more about him than he fully remembered about her. If he had remembered her Independence and need to break rules he would have known to put those supplies in there, but he hadn't. His logic made him think she would remain behind even though if he'd remembered fully he would have known she'd leave no matter what he tried to do. The evidence that she had was clear in her injuries.

"Despite it being illogical you love Plomeek soup for dinner – because your mother used to make it when you were young. It was one of the few Vulcan meals she was good at when you were very little. And you aren't a big fan of itallian food but you love double tomato Bruchetta as your mother was making it about once a week when you were growing up. You are also extremely protective of your mother as she was the one who nurtured you while your father brought you up, trying to make you into a full Vulcan," she told him. How did she remember so much about him? "Right now… you're hurt because of what I said earlier – I know that. But your anger is also there, just beneath the surface. Your home is gone. Anyone would be angry if something happened to their childhood home – but you lost so much more and you will be angry because of that. You can't let your anger get the best of you… like when you were younger…"

Spock looked at his wife. Everything she'd said… it was true. However, as she moved he saw a glimpse of her wedding ring around her neck. He hadn't noticed it before but it was there. A small blue Vulcan Diamond.

Inhaling then exhaling slowly he looked at her and saw she was worried.

"Doctor… I am no longer fit for duty. I hereby relinquish my command based on the fact that I have been emotionally compromised. Please note the time and date in the ship's log." With that he took another look at his wife. He let the barrier drop ever so slightly and she looked away, obviously feeling guilt. He noticed she was playing with her fingers. He saw signs of damage but did not mention it. He wasn't sure how. Instead he told the others the truth. "Pike named Jamie Tabitha Kirk as first officer meaning she is acting Captain now."

With that he walked from the room past his father.

He was walking down the hallway away from the Bridge when he heard his wife's voice come over the intercom.

"Attention Crew of the _Enterprise. _This is Jamie Kirk. Mr. Spock has resigned commission and advanced me to Acting Captain. I know you were all expecting to regroup with the fleet but I'm ordering a pursuit course of the enemy ship to earth. I want all departments at battle stations and ready in ten minutes. Either we're going down, or they are," his wife said and Spock flinched as he returned to the Transporter Room where they'd been not long before. "Kirk out."

It was there he almost lost his mother. He almost lost his wife. And it was in that moment he'd thought he might have gotten her back.

That felt like a lifetime ago.

He didn't even hear the door when it opened or his father enter the room. He should have but he was focused on what he'd lost – or very nearly lost.

"Speak your mind Spock," his father told him and Spock was struck by the similarities in what his father had just said to what Tibby had said what felt like a lifetime ago.

"That would be unwise," he muttered to his father. His mind was full of anger, betrayal, and grief.

"What is necessary is never unwise," his father informed him.

"I am as conflicted as I once was as a child," Spock told his father while looking at the place his wife and mother had been. His mother's blood had yet to be cleaned from the transporter pad.

"You will always be a child of two worlds, Spock. I am grateful for this – no matter what you and your wife believe," his father said. "And I am grateful for you as well."

"I feel anger at my wife for bringing my emotions to the surface, but I feel more anger at the man who stole everything from us. That anger I cannot control," he informed his father. He was always very conservative with his emotions – even when speaking with his mother. But now he was being candid and it was with his father. It was an irony he barely noticed.

"If your mother were in this room – rather than recuperating – then she would say 'do not try to'. You asked me once why I married your mother… I married her because I loved her – as you married your wife. Your wife is right on some of what she said though the way she expressed it was not logical. But your wife did what no other could do – make you see that you were not in control like you believed," his father told him.

Spock heard his father compare the fact they had both married for love. He also heard his father admit his wife did the right thing though in the wrong way. Then his father left, leaving him standing there unsure of what his next move should be.

_[Well, another update… and I'd love to say thank you to everyone. Six chapters and there are already 55 reviews… that's amazing. I would love to thank everyone for reading the story so far. I'd also like to thank everyone who has alerted and favorited this story. I'd also love to thank everyone for reviewing; _MirrorFlower and DarkWind _(3x's)_, Fernsfairie _(3x's)_, Kat, NewSlove (_2x's)_, Maddie, sm1982, Goddess Blaque-Rose, Fire Dolphin, blueoctober, RubyHair, Babyitaly05, Yana5, _and _LoveSpock. _Thank you…]_


	9. 9

Unsettling Reunions  
>Chapter 9<p>

"Whatever the case, we need to get aboard Nero's Ship undetected," Jim told her crew, frustrated that she could not come up with a plan.

"We can't just go in there guns blazing, Jim, not with their technology," Bones told her and she wanted to groan with frustration. He was beginning to sound like Spock and she didn't want to deal with two of them right then.

"I'm telling you, the math doesn't support what you're suggesting," Sulu told them both.

"Captain Kirk. Captain Kirk!" Pavel's voice said as his hand tapped her shoulder. Jim felt like she was being pulled in a million directions but she turned to face Pavel. He was a genius after all.

"Yes, Mr. Chekov," she told him as she turned to face him. His cheeks were bright red as she called him Mr. Chekov which felt weird. He was Pavel to her. "What is it?"

"Based on the _Narada's _course from Vulcan, I have projected that Nero will travel past Saturn. Like you said, we need to stay invisible to Nero or he'll destroy us," Pavel said and her mind began working to understand what he meant. A plan was coming together and she liked it. "If Mr. Scott can get us to warp factor 4, and if we drop out of warp behind one of Saturn's moons, say Titan, the magnetic distortion from the planet's rings will make us invisible to Nero's Sensors." He was excited, talking quickly, his accent thick but she couldn't help but approve of the idea so far. "From there, as long as the drill in not activated, we can beam aboard the enemy ship."

"Aye, that might work," Scotty said while standing behind her.

"Wait a minute kid – you're seventeen… are you sure about this?" Bones asked, obviously worried about whether the math was right. But Jim knew Pavel was brilliant at what he did. He was young but if she had to choose her own Navigator she'd choose him every time.

"Positive," Pavel said with an eye roll.

"Doctor," Spock's voice said and Jim turned to face her husband. He was in the doorway and every eye turned to him. "Mr. Chekov is correct. I can confirm his telemetry. If Mr. Sulu is able to maneuver us into position I can beam aboard Nero's ship, steal back the black hole device and, if possible, bring back Captain Pike."

"I won't allow you to do that, Mr. Spock," she told Spock. Going in there alone would be suicide and she knew it.

"As you are aware, Romulans and Vulcans share a common ancestry. Our cultural similarities will make it easier for me to access the ship's computer to locate the device," he told her and she had to admit, he had a good point. "Also, my mother is human making earth the only home I have left." She sensed the unsaid 'and it's where you're from' as he looked at her, his eyes more like they once were. There was still betrayal in them but that had been subdued by the determination and the hope she saw in them.

Part of her wondered what would happen if he knew of the twins but to tell him in the middle of a war time would have been cruel so she would stay silent. Instead she walked forward, right in front of him.

"Then I'm coming with you," she told her husband.

"I would cite regulation, but I know you will simply ignore it," he told her and she smiled at this.

"See, we are getting to know each other again," she told him with a chuckle before moving to work on something else. Spock looked at her as if he didn't know how to react to what she'd said. Knowing him he didn't. So she went to work and headed to the Transporter room.

"How are we, Scotty?" she asked as Uhura followed them.

"Unbelievably, sir, the ship is in position," Scotty told her and she nodded at that. This crew was the best damned crew she could have asked for so far. But she couldn't concentrate on that.

She turned on the comm. which she used to speak to the Bridge. "Whatever happens, Mr. Sulu, if you think you have the tactical advantage, you fire on that ship, even if we're still onboard. That's an order," she told Sulu.

"Yes sir," Sulu told her and she could feel how much they disliked that order. She was basically telling them if they got the advantage then kill her.

"Otherwise we'll contact the _Enterprise_ when we're ready to be beamed back," Jim told them.

"Good luck," he said in response. With that she went onto the Transporter pad to see Uhura standing there waiting.

"I'll be monitoring both of your frequencies," Uhura said standing between the pair in a triangle composition. She seemed hesitant and Jim smiled.

"Don't worry, I'll get him back safe," She told Uhura who frowned. "It's obvious… and Spock is easy to fall in love with." Spock frowned while looking at them. "Can't fault your taste."

Uhura nodded with a blush then she stepped back.

"You both better return. I need somebody to gossip about," Uhura teased and Jim chuckled. Uhura smiled though it didn't fully meet her eyes. Then she began to walk away so Jim had to toss one more jibe out there.

"So, Spock, do _you_ know her first name?" Jim asked and Spock raised a brow as there was a groaned 'Kirk' from Uhura before the doors closed. "God she is too easy to mess with." This she chuckled to herself but Spock looked at her. She thought she may have seen Jealousy but she ignored that.

"Okey-dokey then, if there is any common sense in the design of the enemy ship, I should be putting you somewhere in the Cargo Bay," Scotty said and something told her that's not where they'd end up. "Shouldn't be a soul in sight."

"Energize," she ordered with her hand at her phaser. Then they were transported into the enemy ship.

So much for Cargo Bay. When they appeared it looked like it was the main bridge they were on. There was yelling and firing. They were both running and firing when they got a clear sight. Ducky and dodging behind things.

Thankfully she'd done well in those training courses too. Eventually they found good cover and ducked down. They were side by side and she looked at Spock before going up firing. He was at her side, so close they were touching but she didn't think of that. They were in danger right then.

They moved slowly then she got one in her sight. She put her phaser to stun. Then she shot him.

"Go, I'll cover you," she told Spock.

"Are you certain?" he asked.

"Yeah, I got you," she told her husband who went forward to the Romulan – mind melding with him. As he did she put her phaser back on kill. A romulan came up and was about to shoot her husband. She took him out before he had the chance.

She got to his side and waited for him. When his eyes opened she looked at him. "Do you know where it is? The black hole device," She asked.

"And Captain Pike," Spock told her. They began to run in the direction of the ship. When it came into view it was like in the mind meld. She paused for a moment before they began running again. Everything was white and crisp. "I foresee a complication. The design of their ship is far more advanced than I had anticipated."

"_Voice Print and Face Recognition analysis enabled. Welcome back, Ambassador Spock,"_ the ship said.

"Wow, that's weird," she muttered and Spock turned to look at her knowing she knew more than she was letting on.

"Computer, what is your manufacturing origin?" Spock asked and she flinched while searching the ship.

She went to look out the pilot's window as he stayed behind then he entered the area she was in.

"It appears that you have been keeping important information from me," Spock told her and she turned to face him, ignoring his words.

"You're gonna be able to fly this thing right?" she asked.

"Something tells me I already have," he was looking at her, searching her for answers. She could sense him poking at her barriers but she didn't let them budge. Too much was in her head right then. She hesitated before speaking.

"Good luck," then she went to leave.

"Jamie," he called and she stopped. She turned to face him as he strode toward her while talking. "The statistical likelihood that our plan will succeed is less than 4.3%." He was right in front of her then.

"It'll work," she assured him.

"I need you to know that no matter what my actions have said over the last few hours that I have never stopped…" Spock said and she stopped him.

"Spock! It'll work. Save it for when we're out of this mess," she told him before moving to kiss him chastely. He pulled her closer so that it was a full blown, toe curling legs melting kiss that left her reeling and breathless. It was strong enough she didn't even feel all her scrapes and bruises right then, or her shoulder and ankle which she knew – rightfully – she should have had Bones look at long before then. "Wow," she gasped as they leaned their heads together.

"Indeed," he said as he too was breathless.

"I'll see you on the ship," she whispered before stepping back. She ignored the twinge in her ankle before walking away. He nodded and she left the ship right then.

_~Unsettling Reunions~_

Spock was standing there watching his wife leave the ship, leave his side. He wanted to stop her but he was finally remembering what it was that he'd truly fallen in love with.

Her rebellious independent nature.

She would never forgive him if he held her back – that and she needed to go get Captain Pike while he needed to complete this mission. So he walked to the chair and sat down. Only, as he sat down the chair turned.

"Fascinating." It turned so he was facing the controls. He looked down and saw his wife at the edge, underneath. She was looking up and he felt a flicker of the bond – her worry despite her continual reassurances that it would be alright.

He had to make sure things would be alright. Then it announced the start up sequence. He flew off to take out the drill so that the _Enterprise _could beam his wife to safety when the time came. Spock wasn't sure if he would make it out of this alive… all he knew was he needed to make it so they could beam her to safety.

_[Another chapter down… I'm sorry for the delay between updates… my cousins have been hogging the laptop. Anyway, I would love to thank everyone for their continued support on the series… for all the reviews, the favorites, and the alerts which continue me writing… _

_I would like to send a special thanks to _DaphinoraS, justasthetaxiforetold, Anariel Phoenix Blade, Maddie, 78, , BetahimeTsukiko, Totalstarwarsfan-girl332, FireFox Vixen, Light-As-Day, ObSeSsEd-WiTh-SlAsH, RubyHair, Spoacnctehrer, blueoctober, CHANCEGAMBIT, fireandarose, MirrorFlower and DarkWind (2x's), sm1982, LoveSpock, Sofia Ann, NewSlove, Crazy Hyper Lady, Fire Dolphin, Yana5, _and _FernsFairie (2x's) _for their reviews…. Thank you.]_


	10. 10

Unsettling Reunions  
>Chapter 10<p>

She walked up, phaser pointed at Nero when he came into sight. He saw her and she wanted to kill him right then. He'd destroyed her husband's life. He'd destroyed her life. And he was threatening the lives of her children and her crew. But she had to follow procedure this one time.

"Nero, order your men to disable the drill or I will…" she began only for something to be slammed into her head as a Romulan came out of nowhere. She grunted as she fell. Her phaser slid off the ship and she internally swore.

Everything was spinning right then. Her concussion from earlier was back in the forefront of her mind and she didn't even notice Nero run up until he began to speak.

"I know your face from Earth's history," Nero told her before picking her up off the ground. Then he threw her. She grunted as she impacted. Her cracked shoulder was now dislocated and she could feel the pain reverberating through her. That's when Nero reached down, picking her up by her shirt then slamming a knee into her stomach.

She was sluggish, barely able to defend herself. Then a fist hit her stomach. She was pretty sure if she survived every rib would end up bruised, fractured, or even broken.

That thought was cut off by a fist slamming into her back sending her sprawling to the ground. She got into a kneeling position, ignoring her shoulder's protest. She grunted and he went to pick her up.

Using the momentum he gave her she went into a hit slamming her fist into his face. He actually seemed injured but he still returned the strike with one of his own. His was better.

She rolled from the impact, her hands up in fists defending her chest but unable to focus on anything but the pain.

_~Unsettling Reunions~_

Spock was flying through the ship, searching for a way out to stop the drill when he wondered what his wife would do. He searched for the weapons in the ship then headed for a wall – flying while shooting – making an exit of his own.

_~Unsettling Reunions~_

"Jamie T. Kirk was considered to be a great woman," Nero said as he held her down, choking her. She tried to fight but he was too strong. Her airway was cut off and she was going to die real fast from oxygen deprivation. "She went on to Captain the _U.S.S. Enterprise_. She was one of the few women who balanced the life of a captain, wife and mother, with the help of her husband slash second in command. But that was another life. A life I will deprive you of, just like I did your father."

Okay… now she was angry.

_~Unsettling Reunions~_

Spock flew low into the atmosphere before firing the weapons, destroying the drill which fell toward earth. The drill was turned off as it no longer had power. He watched as it fell closer and closer to the earth.

He waited a few moments as it appeared like it was going to hit the bridge but it missed striking the water right near it.

_~Unsettling Reunions~_

_Mandy Kirk huddled in the corner as Providence was at her side. All the fear from the city was overwhelming her and Jory was standing at her side. He seemed better since the outcry of Vulcans that had overwhelmed _him_ earlier. _

_Something bad was happening all around them and those children didn't know what exactly. Right then, due to the heightened emotions of everyone around her, Mandy stretched out her empathy, wondering what was happening. _

_Relief began to come toward her but she brushed the mind of another. It was a mind she'd only ever sensed once in her life. She looked up at her brother in awe of what just happened. _

"_Father," he whispered and she nodded. Their father was wrapped up in this. Thinking about what she would do if she was older she knew her mother was somehow in the center of everything too. _

_~Unsettling Reunions~_

She was on the verge of blacking out when a voice called over the speakers.

"_Captain Nero. The Vulcan Ship has been taken. The drill has been destroyed."_ He released her and she gasped as he stood up, no longer straddling her as he had been. She could breathe and her mind was clearing rapidly.

"Spock!" Nero yelled. "Spock!" Nero ran toward the bridge, jumping the distance with ease.

Rolling Jim found another Romulan there looking at her.

"Captain Nero. If this is his wife may I…" the other man called and Nero just nodded. A sadistic glint was in his eyes and she wanted to swear. Of course, because she was a woman their minds would go there. That was so not fair. Then the Romulan began toward her.

_~Unsettling Reunions~_

Spock was flying the ship when he was contacted.

"Spock. I knew I should have killed you when I had the chance," the Romulan told him.

"I hereby confiscate this illegally obtained ship and order you to surrender your vessel, No Terms. No deals." Spock told the Romulan.

"I hope Ayel is having fun with your wife right now," Spock heard Nero say and he felt both fear and anger well up in him. "He is the one with her I do believe and she is so… exotic. Hope he doesn't break her too much." The man was taunting him but it was working.

Then the screen went black but he heard – take out that ship.

Moments later the Narada released weapons firing at his ship. He quickly flew through space. He moved to dodge them, going to warp as he did.

~_Unsettling Reunions~_

She moved to stand and he went toward her. Acting on instinct – since her own ability to think properly was shot all to hell – she ran toward the edge and jumped away from him. No man was going to touch her without her say so.

Jim missed her landing and had to grab on to the ledge so she didn't fall.

Right then she felt Spock trying to get through her barrier – almost frantically. She kept it up strong. She didn't need to be distracted by him right then.

The Romulan stepped in front of her and she swore. He reached down, pulling her up. His hand was at her throat.

"Your species is even weaker than I expected. You're so easily broken. There won't be anything left when I'm done," he stated.

"I can't…" she muttered, a plan coming to her mind.

"You can't what?" the Romulan asked seeming to believe he was in complete control of the situation. He probably was but she couldn't admit that to anyone – let alone herself. No, she needed to think and fast. "You can't even speak." Then he pulled her forward, forcing his lips against hers. She grabbed his gun as he did that though she felt disgust by how close to him he made her be.

Then he pulled back and his hand started moving to undo her pants without looking.

"I've got your gun," she told him before firing it. He released her instantly and she fell, grabbing the ledge. Her poor ribs protested everything as the jackass Romulan fell off the ledge toward the center of the ship.

Jamie T. Kirk managed to pull herself up so she didn't fall to death. She got up and breathed for a moment or two then grabbed the gun.

She had work to do.

_~Unsettling Reunions~_

Spock got out there and then turned around, heading toward the Romulan Ship. He was still trying to break through his wife's wall. He needed to know she was alright – that they'd been lying.

"_Ambassador Spock, you are on a collision course,"_ the Ship alerted him. Then the ship was fired upon. _"Incoming Missiles. If the ship is hit, the red matter will be ignited." _

"Understood," he told the ship. He hoped his wife was out of there because he wanted these Romulans to pay. Especially if one of them had attempted to… violate his wife as they had suggested. They were coming at him and then the Enterprise came into sight.

_~Unsettling Reunions~_

Jim found Pike strapped down and she fired at the Romulan that was standing guard. She moved towards Pike, the man who was basically the father figure in her life for three years now. He had blood at the sides of his mouth – his skin was clammy looking and he was slightly disoriented.

She put the phaser in the holster she had.

"What are you doing here?" Pike asked. His voice was soft and gravelly. He looked like hell and sounded like it too.

"Just following orders though once we're out you'll probably have to lock me in the brig – long story," she told him while unfastening his arms first. Then she moved to unfasten his waist when he pulled the phaser and fired. She looked at him a moment, and saw how tired he was now. She sped up getting him out of those straps.

Then she moved him into a standing position, his arm over her shoulders, taking most of his weight.

"_Enterprise_, now!" she yelled into her comm..

Moments later they were beamed back onto the transport pad. She saw Spock beside her but couldn't focus on that.

"Nice timing Scotty," she told him.

He laughed as she slowly led the Captain from the Transporter pad.

"I've never beamed three people from two targets onto one pad before!" Scotty said excitedly. She could feel his enthusiasm which was contagious. Spock brought medical crew with him.

"Jim!" Bones called as he saw her and the captain.

"Bones," she said.

"I got him," Bones told Jim and she left the captain in the hands of her best friend.

"That was pretty good," Scotty called and she threw him a smile as she left the room. Then she ran to the Bridge. She knew what she had to do, didn't agree with it but she had to do it.

"Captain, the enemy ship is losing power! Their shields are down sir," Pavel called and she and Spock both entered the Bridge.

"Hail them now," she ordered while moving in front of the screen.

"Aye," Pavel responded.

"This is Captain Jamie T. Kirk of the _U.S.S. Enterprise_. Your ship is compromised. To close to the singularity to survive without assistance, which we are willing to provide," Jim told the Romulan. She instantly saw her husband's change in demeanor and turned to face him.

"Captain, what are you doing?" Spock asked.

"Showing them compassion may be the only way to earn peace with Romulus. It's logic, Spock. I thought you'd like that," she told her husband.

"No not really, not this time," he told her and she held back a chuckle. The one time she used logic and he didn't like it. Of course not.

"_I would rather suffer the end of Romulus a thousand times. I would rather die in agony than accept assistance from you,"_ Nero told them.

"You got it," she told the Romulan. "Arm Phasers. Fire everything we've got," Jim ordered.

"Yes Sir," Sulu said in response. They did fire and the ship was visibly destroyed.

"Sulu, let's go home," Jim called to the others.

"Yes sir," Sulu said in response. But they weren't going anywhere.

"Why aren't we at warp?" Jim asked.

"We are, sir," Pavel argued and she wanted to swear.

"Kirk to engineering. Get us out of here Scotty," she told the engineer.

"You bet your ass captain," Scotty called frantically. Moments later he came back on. "Captain, we're caught in the gravity well. It's got us."

"Go to maximum warp! Push it!" she told the engineer. If anyone could get them out of there it would be that man.

"I'm giving her all she's got, captain," Scotty argued. That's when the ship began to crack.

"All she's got isn't good enough! What else you got?"

"Okay, if we eject the core and detonate, the blast should be enough to push us away," Scotty told her and it sounded reasonable. "I cannae promise anything, though!"

"Do it, do it, do it!" Kirk yelled. They did just that and they were being pushed away by the blast. They continued to soar toward freedom – continuing long past the blast at warp like speeds even without the warp engines until they slowed down to impulse.

Everyone let out a collective sigh of relief.

She glanced back at her husband who nodded, appearing relieved. She chuckled as she looked at everyone. They were safe… and they were alive, out of danger. For now that was all that mattered…

Now all they had to go home…. And she'd deal with the consequences of everything.

_[Well, this story is done... look for the sequel - **Slow Way** **Home. **__Though it may be about a week until I get that up... Thank you all again]_


End file.
